The placing of plant protection products on the market (until June 2011)

The European Union has harmonised the conditions and procedures for authorising plant protection products so as to protect human health and the environment. It has also drawn up a list of authorised substances and a phased programme for evaluating substances already on the market.

The Directive lays down uniform rules on the evaluation, authorisation, placing on the market and control within the European Union of plant protection products * and the active substances * they contain.

Only plant protection products whose active substances are listed in Annex I to the Directive and that do not pose a risk to human or animal health or the environment when the product is used under normal conditions are authorised.

The procedure for evaluating and authorising plant protection products must comply with the uniform principles laid down in Annex VI to the Directive. These include:

general principles: the evaluation of data in the light of current knowledge, taking account of the particular conditions prevailing in the zone in which the product is to be used, etc;

specific principles concerning, among other things, efficacy, the absence of unacceptable effects on plants, the impact on human and animal health and on non-target species, distribution in and impact on the environment, etc.

The Directive stipulates the requirements for the dossier to be submitted for the inclusion of an active substance in the list of authorised substances (Annex II) and the requirements for the dossier to be submitted for the authorisation of a plant protection product (Annex III). These requirements concern, among other things, the identification of the substance or product, the identity of the manufacturer and applicant for authorisation, tests and analyses carried out by official or officially-recognized testing facilities or organisations, etc. Information held by the applicant or manufacturer may be protected by a confidentiality clause where it constitutes an industrial or commercial secret.

Authorisation is granted by the Member State on whose territory the product is placed on the market for the first time. It is valid for ten years and may be renewed. It can be withdrawn if the requirements are no longer fulfilled and can be amended if the development of scientific and technical knowledge requires.

To ensure the free circulation of products, the Directive provides for mutual recognition of authorisations granted by the Member States, provided that the plant health, agricultural and environmental conditions are comparable in the regions concerned. It does, however, contain a protective clause permitting Member States temporarily to restrict or prohibit the circulation of a product on their territory if it poses a risk to human or animal health or to the environment.

Every quarter, the Member States inform the Commission and the other Member States of all plant protection products authorised or withdrawn. In addition, every year Member States draw up and send to the Commission and the other Member States a list of products authorised on their territory.

Arrangements for provisional authorisation allow Member States, pending the Community's decision to include a new active substance in the positive list, to authorise the plant protection product concerned for a maximum of three years if the dossier submitted for inclusion of the active substance and the dossier for the authorisation of the plant protection product are in order and if it is established that the active substance and the product pose no risk.

As regards active substances currently on the market, the Directive provides for an evaluation programme for these substances over a period of 12 years from the entry into force of the Directive. This programme was extended until March 2009. Since the end of 2003, the European Food Safety Authority has been responsible for assessing risks, while the Commission is still responsible for taking decisions concerning risk management.

The Directive also harmonises the rules on the labelling and packaging of plant protection products and the information they must bear, among other things, the name and designation of the product, the name and address of the holder of the authorisation, the quantity of each active substance, the directions for use, the dose for each authorised use and particulars of possible phytotoxicity, etc.

Plant protection products: these are products consisting of, or containing, active substances, safeners or synergists, intended for one of the following uses:

protecting plants or plant products against all harmful organisms or preventing the action of such organisms, except if they are mainly designed for reasons of hygiene rather than protection of vegetables or vegetable products;

influencing the life processes of plants, other than as a nutrient (e.g. plant growth regulators);

preserving plant products, in so far as such substances or products are not subject to Community provisions on preservatives;

destroying undesirable plants, or parts thereof, with the exception of algae;

checking or preventing undesired growth of plants, except algae.

Active substances: substances or micro-organisms, including viruses, having general or specific action against harmful organisms or on plants, parts of plants or plant products.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 33/2008 of 17 January 2008 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Directive 91/414/EEC as regards a regular and an accelerated procedure for the assessment of active substances which were part of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of that Directive but have not been included into its Annex I [Official Journal L 15 of 18.1.2008].
This Regulation completes the programme of work on the gradual examination of active substances on the market and lays down rules for the submission and evaluation of applications for inclusion in Annex I to Directive 91/414/EEC. Two procedures are established: a regular procedure involving verification by the Member State of dossiers on the active substance concerned, and an accelerated procedure which can be followed in the case of non-inclusion of the active substance.

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2229/2004 of 3 December 2004 laying down further detailed rules for the implementation of the fourth stage of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC [Official Journal L 379 of 24.12.2004].

Commission Regulation (EC) No 1112/2002 of 20 June 2002 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the fourth stage of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC [Official Journal L 168 of 27.6.2002].

Commission Regulation (EC) No 451/2000 of 28 February 2000 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the second and third stages of the work programme referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC [Official Journal L 55 of 29.2.2000].

Commission Regulation (EEC) No 3600/92 of 11 December 1992 laying down the detailed rules for the implementation of the first stage of the programme of work referred to in Article 8(2) of Council Directive 91/414/EEC concerning the placing of plant protection products on the market [Official Journal L 366 of 15.12.1992].

This Regulation lays down detailed rules governing the relationship between industry, the Member States and the Commission for the implementation of the first phase of the programme, covering an initial series of 90 active substances.